


.::The War on Falling Stars::. Chapter 7 Isolation

by Antigravity_Carnivore



Series: The War on Falling Stars [7]
Category: Breaking Benjamin (Band), Poets of the Fall, Project Vela (Band), STARSET (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Evil Angel, F/M, Fate & Destiny, Fear, Fear of Death, Fluff and Angst, Future Fic, Gay, Gay Male Character, Government Conspiracy, Government Experimentation, Heavy Angst, Hospitalization, Human Experimentation, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Inspired by Music, M/M, Music, New West, Original Character(s), Rock Stars, Rock and Roll, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:07:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24610537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Antigravity_Carnivore/pseuds/Antigravity_Carnivore
Summary: Reunited, Scott and Travis's reunion comes to a abrupt halt, as troubling news appears on their doorstep, and they must make a choice that could leave one of them in grave danger. Meanwhile, at the hospital, Selene confronts Burnley for the first time on earth, and pays a heavy price.
Relationships: Dustin Bates/Benjamin Burnley, Dustin Bates/Brock Richards, Scott Spriggs/Travis Owen, Siobhan Cronin/Brock Richards, Thomas Bell/Lizzie Bell
Series: The War on Falling Stars [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1322462
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2





	.::The War on Falling Stars::. Chapter 7 Isolation

The first rays of sunlight filtered in through the plastic blinds which covered the window near the bed, illuminating the fine dust particles that danced through the air over Scott’s body as he slept. The snowstorm from the night before had passed, and the morning brought the sound of birds singing and dripping water from the melting ice clinging to the roof overhead. Stirring from his sleep, Scott rolled over and pulled the blankets up over his head. For the first time in over a year, he managed to sleep through the night without waking up in a state of panic or despair from the dreams that plagued him. Ember was still missing, but now that Travis was back, Scott felt like he regained something that he needed to bring him back into the world of the living. He felt confident that it was only a matter of time now before they would find his daughter; there was strength in numbers, and Travis was much more smart and clever than he ever was, so it wouldn’t be long before they could all be a family again.

Remembering the sweet taste of Travis’s lips on his and the touch of his slender hands, Scott rolled over, reaching out for him on the oversized hotel bed. He wanted to start the day right, feeling the warmth of his skin and listening to the sound that his breath made while he slept. Stretching over across the space, Scott realized that only a matted pillow and a crumpled-up sheet were his only bed companions. Travis wasn’t there. Immediately jolting into being fully awake, Scott sat up and looked around the room in a panic. Aside from his own clothes, thrown carelessly onto the floor, there was nothing there. All of Travis’s personal belongings were gone, including his backpack. Scott ran his hands through his messy, red hair. “No no no…” He groaned, trying to keep himself from having a break down. His heart raced in his chest and his head began to hurt as his blood pressure began to rise. Why would he do this to me? Why would he show up, drop all this shit on me about Ember being alive on another planet, and the New West crap and then just go? I promised him that I would help him…he promised me we’d go back to Prox and bring Ember home! How could he walk away and leave me here? Last night… everything felt right. He told me he loved me and would never leave my side. What happened? Did I do or say something wrong? Goddamn it…what if I fucked this up and I will never see him again? What if I lost my chance?

Shifting over, Scott moved to the side of the bed and placed his feet on the floor. His eyes began to fill with tears as the waves of self-doubt came rolling in, threatening to consume him once again. All the hurt, all the pain and anger from over a year came rushing back, all at once, tightening his chest and making it hard to breathe. He needed help, he needed Travis…but he realized that he didn’t even know where to look. With the New West device implanted in his brain, they could have taken control at any time and made him do something horrible. Travis was somewhere out there, maybe somewhere close, but from all that Scott knew, he could even probably be on another planet by now. He had to find him.

Groaning, Scott let out a loud cry and thrust his fist into the mattress. It felt good to let to go some of the anger. The noise startled some of the birds nesting outside, and as they flew off on fluttering wings, Scott noticed a shadow outside the hotel room window move. “Travis? Travis is that you?” He asked quietly, then was suddenly on his feet, grabbing the white sheet off the bed and wrapping it around his waist as he threw open the door. A wave of elation washed over him. Standing there on the balcony, with his backpack slung casually over one shoulder, leaning over the wrought iron rail was Travis, surrounded in sunlight. Scott let out a sigh of relief and took a step toward him.

“You were sleeping so soundly; I didn’t have the heart to wake you.” Travis said, not bothering to turn around. His voice sounded distant, and he seemed distracted.

Scott shivered. He didn’t want to own up to the fact that he completely overreacted to Travis’s disappearance. He silently cursed himself for even doubting. Swallowing his emotions, Scott tried to play it cool. “I just thought that uh, maybe you locked yourself out or something.” He fumbled through the words, and then noticed that Travis didn’t seem to pay it any attention. Something didn’t feel right. The air was so still, all the birds were gone, and there was no sound of traffic far off on the highway. He clutched the sheet tight around him, even though it was beginning to warm up, the early morning chill still hung around, a grim reminder that winter wasn’t over yet. Scott gestured to Travis’s backpack. “Are we going somewhere?” He asked meekly, not wanting to start an argument, but needing answers, badly.

Travis kept his back to Scott for what felt like a long time. The moisture from the melting icicles high above them softly dripped down and splashed on the iron railing beside him. “I am so sorry, Scott. I have to go back.”

Moving in close, Scott came to stand right next to Travis. He didn’t care that he was shirtless, with only a sheet strategically wrapped around his waist; all that mattered was Travis. “What do you mean ‘go back’? Go back where? That planet, Prox or whatever you said it was called. We discussed it last night, remember? We are going to go find this Marko guy to get your brain fixed, and then we’re going to go to Prox to get Ember back. That’s what we agreed on. Nothing has changed.” He glanced over to Travis suspiciously. “Or has it?”

His eyes searching the area desperately, Travis scrutinized the desolate parking lot below. It was early morning and the grounds were completely empty, except for a few squirrels darting from tree to tree. The sound of the branches moving made him feel nervous. Feeling Scott shivering next to him and noticing his lack of clothing, Travis moved away from the balcony and pushed the door open. “Come inside. We shouldn’t be out here. Someone could be watching.” Brushing past him, Travis reached out and took hold of Scott’s upper arm, squeezing it tightly and led him toward the door.  
“Watched?” Scott looked around, scratching his beard. “By who? There’s no one out here.”

Stepping inside, Travis turned around and shot Scott a stern look. “Don’t ask questions.” Turning his back, he hurried inside with Scott quickly following behind. As they entered, he looked on in confusion as Travis locked all three metal bolts on the door and then pulled out a letter from his backpack. He tossed it on the bed between Scott and him. “When I woke up this morning, I wasn’t sure that I was really here. This implant, or whatever it is that New West put inside my head, it alters my reality and makes me feel things, see things that aren’t there sometimes. It’s hard to distinguish between reality and their perverted version of augmented reality. I opened my eyes and found myself lying in bed next to you, remembering how we spent the night, and I wanted it to be real so badly. I didn’t know if I could trust myself to let it go on. If it wasn’t real, then I couldn’t delude myself any longer to make myself believe that it was. There’s nothing worse than letting yourself go, enjoy something to the fullest, experience every touch, every sensation, lose yourself completely in the moment and then be brought back to harsh reality. Everything crashes down around you, and you’re left with this immense longing that doesn’t go away. It gives you this sick feeling, and messes your insides up, it’s the worst feeling I have ever felt in my entire life.”

Scott listened intently, hanging on every word. “But… the injections… You said that they stop New West from putting things in your head. As long as you’re on them, you’re safe, right?” Travis didn’t reply and chose to remain silent. It was the silence that worried Scott more than anything. Making his way over to Travis he put his arm around his shoulders and leaned against him. “Last night, all that happened. It was real, I assure you. For a short time, you took all the sadness and anger that I had let into my life and replaced it with nothing more than pure love. What we had last night, it doesn’t need to be put into words and explained, because it’s a feeling that two people share when they are in love. It is something special that can happen again and again, over and over for the rest of our lives. I know why you are doubting it… it’s because you’ve been away for so long that you’re afraid to let yourself go again. I feel that it took you a while to completely trust me, but when you did, it was something wonderful. I don’t know what they did to you, or what you went through on Prox, but I promise you that I will take care of you, and make sure that everything you feel is exactly as it should be. Don’t be afraid.” Scott ran his fingers down Travis’s shoulder. “That thing inside of your head can’t control you, I won’t let it.”

Travis took a long deep breath. “It’s not the implant, Scott.” Travis said quietly. “It’s me.”

Feeling the warmth of his skin, Scott curled up even closer to Travis. “I don’t understand…but it doesn’t matter, I will help you through this. Just tell me what I have to do.”

Slipping out of Scott’s embrace, Travis reached for the envelope he had tossed on the bed and pulled out a letter, waving it at Scott. “It’s not that simple. You didn’t let me finish… I wish that you wouldn’t do that… it’s really annoying.” He gave Scott a sharp look, then felt sorry for scolding him so harshly and then continued on. “When I woke up, I was feeling uneasy and restless so I decided to go outside and get some fresh air. It was still dark, so the streetlights down below were on, and I noticed a man standing directly across from our room in the empty lot, looking up, watching me. At first, I thought it was some local person, waiting for a ride or something, so I ignored him. I sat out on the balcony, just thinking things over and trying to make plans what we were going to do next. After some time passed, I looked down again and noticed that he didn’t move, not even a muscle the entire time. He was staring right at me. It gave me the chills. I don’t know why I did it, but I went downstairs. I guess I wanted to get a closer look at him or ask him why he was so interested in our room. I got within a few feet of him, within shouting distance and he turned away and started walking down an alley. I called to him anyway, asking him to stop, but he just kept walking. I knew he had to be up to something, so I followed him. Looking back on it now, I realize how dangerous it was, following a stranger who seemed to be stalking me, into a back alley where almost anything could happen. Like I said, I don’t know why I did it, but I did. The only way I could explain it is like… I was drawn to him. I can’t tell you what he looks like, or even whatever he was wearing. It’s like all those memories slipped away… All I could focus on was following this person; it was important that I caught up to him. We walked for a long time, and soon we were at a dead end, he was at the far end, I was near the street. There was no place we could go. The sun was starting to rise, and it was that strange point in the morning where the streetlights start to flicker on and off, detecting the subtle changes in light. I called out to him once again, and he turned around. I asked him why he was at the hotel and he didn’t answer.” Travis stopped for a moment. He took a long breath, and closed his eyes, almost as if reliving the entire moment over again in his mind. “The next thing I knew, I blinked, and he was standing right in front of me and I was terrified. He looked right at me, or rather, through me and I honestly thought I was going to die. It’s kind of like that feeling that you get when you are at the top of a set of stairs and start falling. You know what’s coming, you can see the ground rushing up to meet you and try to brace yourself for the pain of impact. That is what looking at him felt like… falling into his eyes…those terrible, beautiful eyes… I knew this had to be all in my head. The implant malfunctioning or something. It was the only way to explain what I was feeling. There was this quiet whoosh, and these enormous black wings arced out from behind him. The feathers, they looked so soft, like the finest satin you could ever imagine; I wanted to reach out and touch them. I saw the sunlight start to break over the mountains and he whispered something into my ear and then just as my fingertips were about to touch him, he was gone, just like that. I stood there like a complete idiot, dumfounded.”

“What did he say to you?” Scott asked.

“It’s too late, Travis. He is gone. Return home and live your life. I will look after him.”

“At this point, I was completely freaked out. I ran back here as fast as I could, and then that’s when I found this just outside the door.” Travis held out the paper to Scott.

Reluctantly, Scott took the neatly folded paper and sat down on the edge of the bed, his eyes scanning every letter, anxious to find out what had upset Travis so much.

Travis Owen,  
We are aware of your unauthorized alteration of the New West implant.  
The person of interest who has assisted you has been dealt with severely.  
It is against our policies and the arrangement that you agreed to upon your safe return to earth to alter this device, and have done so blatantly with no remorse.  
You were aware of the repercussions when you agreed to the rescue from Prox and still you chose to ignore them.  
Therefore, as a result of breaking our contract, we have no choice but to recall your implant, and ask that you return to New West as soon as possible for reconfiguration.  
As a measure of precaution, and to be assured that you will voluntarily return to us, we have taken collateral. Please be advised that should you fail to return to us within 3 days, the collateral will be disposed of and we will instruct our agents to return the device to our facility, by any means necessary.  
(See attachment inside envelope)  
New West Industries Inc.

With wide eyes, Scott looked up from the printed letter to Travis, who was paler than the bedsheets. He reached forward and picked up the envelope, shoving his fingers inside. It was empty. “Travis, what is this collateral?” Scott asked. “There’s nothing inside.”

Tears streaming down his cheeks, Travis reached into the pocket of his hoodie and handed Scott a photograph. Scott sank down onto the bed. “What the fuck? Is this real?” He asked. Travis, consumed with emotion couldn’t answer, he simply nodded. Staring at the thin of piece printed photo paper, Scott found himself looking down at the smiling faces of Travis, and a young child, barely even one year old staring back at him. “Who…. Who is this kid? A relative?”

There were no words to express or explain what Travis was feeling, the tone in his voice said it all. “Caden. My son… Scott… they have my son.”

Throwing down the letter, Scott suddenly stood up and started getting dressed. “You’re right, this isn’t real. They are just fucking with your head, Travis. You said it yourself, your memories are all muddled, you don’t know the real memories from the augmented ones. They are doing this to you, just to bring you back. I know you better than anyone else, you don’t have a kid, there’s no possible way either! Look at his age, he’s barely a year old. Aside from the year you spent on Prox, we’ve been together all that time. It doesn’t add up. If you had a son, why would you leave him to come live with Ember and I? We’ve discussed this, that family is everything. It’s not like you to just up and leave.” Scott fumbled with his shirt, talking, mumbling, ranting while he tried to put it on. Shoving it over his head, he noticed that he had put it on inside out, and then quickly yanked it off, slipping into it again, only to notice that he had put it on backwards this time. “FUCK!” He yelled. Grabbing Travis by the elbow, he led him over to the door. “Listen, here’s what we do. We leave this place, get the hell out of here, they know where we are now, and we have a good three day lead before they come looking for us, so I say we just go. We will get on the road and find the person who can take that implant out of your head so that it stops short circuiting your brain and making you think you had a kid. What a fucking joke! Last night… you were so different… and today, well… I can see it in your eyes, that implant is doing something to you. First you ran into some winged dude in the alley who just wanted to whisper in your ear, and now you think you have a kid. Listen to yourself, Travis, you’re losing it! Even with the nerve blocker injections that woman gave to you, I honestly don’t think that you’re going to be able to keep it together much longer. What did she say the doctor’s name was? Marko? He is a surgeon, so we start at the most convenient place, the hospital. I am sure that they can point us in the right direction there. He will take care of your head and we will go get Ember. Enough of this augmented reality shit.”

“I don’t care about getting the implant out now, not while my son is in danger!” Travis yanked his arm away from Scott. “I know that you think I am insane; I knew you wouldn’t believe me…but he is real. I know it. I knew I should never have waited, I should have come back here, got my stuff and left. It would have been better if I wasn’t here when you woke up. If it means trading my own life for Caden’s, then I will do it.”

“Don’t fucking say that!” Scott shouted. “Don’t EVER FUCKING say that again!” Feeling somewhat betrayed by Travis’s words, Scott struggled to keep his composure. “Travis… give me a minute here… I just need a minute to sort it all out.”

Travis looked at Scott with sorrow filled eyes. “I don’t remember him, but I can feel him. It’s like when I was on Prox. I missed you so much. I’d lay in bed awake at night, with my arms around Ember, and I could feel you there with us, every night, thinking about us, just as we were thinking about you. That was how we kept you close to us. I knew you were real.” Seeing the look of hurt in Scott’s eyes, he reached out and took hold of his hands. “I know I have always been faithful to you, Scott. There is no doubt in my mind about that, but I also know that the little boy in that photo is a part of me. I don’t know how it happened, just that it did.”

Scott felt Travis squeeze his hands tightly. The shaking subsided and his emotions shifted from anger to hurt. “Why now? Why are you remembering him now, after all this time?” Knowing that the man he loved had been with someone else was eating away at Scott from the inside. “Were you afraid to tell me about him? Is that it? Too ashamed to admit it? I thought that I was enough for you…”

“You ARE enough for me. I wish I had all the answers for you, but I don’t. It feels like there is this fog inside of my head that I can only see through sometime. Ever since I got back from Prox, I started to have these fragments of memories flash in my head… they feel so real too… Like, I feel as though I was on Prox once before, and you were there too, we were fighting in a war or something… I don’t know, it’s all so blurry… but that doesn’t matter right now… Caden… I can’t leave him to those bastards. I don’t care if my brain gets fried, my number one priority is saving my son. If you want to go, then go, I won’t stop you. I am going to rescue him, and then I will find Ember. I will bring them both back, with or without you.”

“So what you’re saying is that me and Ember, we’re not as important as the son you didn’t even know existed until 24 hours ago? Aren’t we supposed to be a family? I can’t believe what I am hearing. I trusted you, SHE TRUSTED YOU!” Scott slipped his hands away from Travis’s and balled them into fists at his sides. More than anything, he wanted to punch Travis right in the face, right now.

Travis looked away from Scott, he was obviously hurt. “That’s not what I meant. I love you both, so very much, but this is something that I must do.” He stopped, waiting for Scott to return fire, but only silence descended on the room. The damage was done. Grabbing his backpack again, Travis threw it over his shoulder. “Screw this. They can have their precious implant back. I don’t care what happens to me. I am going back to New West.” 

Scott moved in front of Travis and jammed a finger harshly into his chest. “There’s no way I am letting you go anywhere without me. You need me.” There was a gentler tone in his voice now. “New West is fucking with you more than you know, and I am not going to let you go in there alone to chase after something that isn’t real, because if you do, and you die, I’d be really fucking pissed.”

Travis looked Scott right in the eyes, his facial expression reflected the seriousness that he felt. “He is real to me, Scott. I can't ask you to understand something that I, myself can't explain, but honestly, I wish you would, because I love you, and I need you too.”

Pausing to take a breath, Scott ran his fingers though his reddish hair, a foolish nervous habit that he promised himself that he’d stop. Once again, he let anger take control of him, forcing him into a corner. His heart screamed at him from inside telling him not to let Travis go alone, but in his head he knew that it was a bad idea. More so, the fact that Travis was willing to just walk away and let New West take him hurt deeply. The time they had spent apart from one another had driven a wedge between them, and it was going to take more than just one night to repair. The conflicting emotions were tearing Scott apart, and he knew that he had to make a decision, right here and now or risk losing everything. “Travis, I do love you too. I lost you for a year, and I don’t want to lose you again… As much as it goes against everything I believe in, I am stepping back here and trusting you blindly. I don’t know how you have a son, or the circumstances around it, but if you truly, deeply believe that the kid in the photo is yours, then I will accept it. Being a father kind of changes things for you, brings your entire world into focus, and one day you wake up and realize that it's not all about you anymore, there is another person depending on you, and needing you to keep them alive. I miss Ember so much.”

Adjusting his backpack, Travis took a step back and pulled the hood of his jacket up over his head, obscuring his eyes. He didn't want Scott to see the guilt in them. “Yes.” He mumbled. “I know you do, I miss her too. I should have found a way to bring her back with me. I let you down, Scott.”

“We are going to get her back.” He said firmly. “We are going to get everyone back.” Scott sat down on the bed and laced up his boots. 24 hours ago he was walking home from his teaching job, ready to come home to a microwave dinner and stare at the television for a few hours before falling into a fitful sleep. Now, here he was, back with the man that he loved, but for how long? He didn’t want to believe that Travis had a son; if it were true then it also meant that he was with someone else during their time together, and just the thought of that was crippling. What it boiled down to was that New West knew were Ember was, and that was more than enough to get Scott to agree to Travis’s plan to turn himself in. He would go along with it for as long as he could, until he found out how to get to Ember, then save both her and Travis. ‘Caden’ would just be a means to an end. Travis would see that none of it was real, that there wasn’t a child, and snap back into the right frame of mind. It would hit him very hard, but Scott would be standing by, waiting to pick up the pieces and take both him and Ember away to safety where they could all heal together. Pulling the laces tight on his boot, Scott sat up and stared at Travis.

“What?” Travis asked.

Standing up, Scott grabbed his jacket which was still a bit damp from where he had hit the ground and been dragged through the snow. “That man that you saw, what was it that he said to you? 'It’s too late, Travis. He is gone. Return home and live your life. I will look over him.' Does that mean anything to you?”

Turning away, Travis shrugged and started heading towards the door. “Nothing. It probably never happened. Maybe it was all in my mind as you said.” He stopped and lowered his head; his shoulders slumped forward a bit. He was glad that the hood was concealing his face. “I don’t know what’s real and what isn’t anymore. I feel like I am sleepwalking through a dream that I can’t wake up from.” Taking the photo out of his pocket, he held it out, staring at it for long moments. “They say that if you die in your dreams, then you won’t ever wake up, you die in reality too. Do you think that’s true?”

Moving across the room, Scott grabbed Travis from behind and wrapped his arms across his slender chest, locking his fingers together over the tight muscles hidden underneath the heavy fabric of the hoodie. He rested his head against his back and just held him there for a long time. Feeling Travis reach up and place his hands over his knuckles, Scott felt a little better. He wanted to stay like this forever, holding onto him, never letting go, but he knew that he had to. “I think that when it's your turn to die, it will happen, regardless of whether you see it coming or not. The man that spoke to you, what did you feel when you heard his words?”

His voice barely a whisper, Travis gripped Scott's hand tightly. “I felt like I was going to die.” Reaching out, he placed his hand on the doorknob and twisted it. “And I have this feeling, that the moment I step out of this door, things are going to set in motion that I will be completely unable to stop, and it is going to happen, I am going to die.”

A chill ran down Selene’s spine as she looked toward the man at the end of the hall. Gazing at him seemed to suck all the life right out of her, all she wanted to do was turn around and run away, but she couldn’t. Brock was unconscious in the room behind her, extremely vulnerable; she had to protect him, at all costs. Shoving her shaking hands into the pockets of her lab coat, she took a deep breath and took a step away from the door, trying her best not to sound fearful. “Sir, you need to turn around and leave. This is a off limits area, you can’t be here.”

The man raised an eyebrow. “Who says I can’t be here… you?” The tone in his voice was sarcastic, almost mocking. He was clearly challenging her. Even just standing there, motionless, his entire demeanor felt like a threat to Selene’s own existence, and she didn’t know why. 'Enemy' was too kind of a word for him.

Not allowing herself to give in to these unexplained emotions, Selene took another step forward, away from the door to Brock’s room and closer to the man. He was much larger than her, and very toned and muscular. She knew that if it came down to it, he could easily overpower her, so she had no choice but to inch her way closer to him, which was the nearest exit. “I am on the board of directors for this facility, so what I say, pretty much goes as law around here. There’s nothing for you in this area, so I am telling you that you are out of line here, so I am going to ask you once again, nicely to leave. If you refuse, I will notify security, and have you removed.”

Shrugging, the man unfolded the black leather jacket that he had been carrying and slid it over his arms. It was the exact same jacket that Benjamin Burnley had come in wearing earlier when he was trying to kidnap her grandson and had been ruthlessly gunned down while wearing it. In the bright, white incandescent light of the hallway, she could see the still drying stains of the dead man’s blood on it. Standing a few feet away now, the man smiled at her. “Oh but you are so wrong, Selene Bell. There is something… or shall we say ‘someone’ here for me. I don’t care anything about you or your hospital. You are standing in the way of me getting to the only one thing I DO care about. I know that you’ve taken Brock into that room, and I am here to claim him. I have a way of getting what I want, so I put the question to you, are you going to make yourself a obstacle that I have to go through to get to him, or will you simply step out of the way and save yourself?”

“You’re New West, aren’t you?” Selene asked. Her heart was racing now, and she was certain that she, and Brock were in obvious danger now. “I made a mistake when I let your organization in here to do your experiments. I was so foolish to open the door and let you all walk in, take over like you own the place and put me and my staff in danger. I don’t know what your organization hopes to accomplish here, but I won’t let you go through with any of it. I am putting my foot down right here and now. Even if it’s just one person that I protect, it will be worth it. So you can turn around and leave. Tell the others that they have exactly one hour to get their equipment together and vacate the premises or I will call the police.”

“Is that a threat, Selene?” The man purred.

“If that's what you want to call it, then yes. I want you and all the others to leave. NOW.” Her eyes flashed in defiance and anger. “And it's Mrs. Bell to you.”

The man cocked his head to the side. “No one threatens me.” His tone was flat and final, like a death sentence.

Selene stood her ground; she wasn’t willing to abandon Brock or let this punk push her around. “Then I guess this is a first for you.”

The words barely left her lips when without warning, the man sprinted forward with a swift, pouncing movement and caught Selene off guard. She had no time to react, he was on her in a heartbeat. His hand shot out and his fingers tightly wrapped around her neck, as he pushed her roughly with brute force and her back collided with the wall in a loud thud. Bits of broken concrete rained down behind her body and fell in a pile of debris at her feet. Struggling for breath, she brought her hands up and used her fingernails to claw desperately at the man’s fingers, but his grip was stronger than steel and the more she squirmed, the tighter he held on to her. “I warned you not to be an obstacle, Selene. This is getting old. You think that you’re making a change, but you aren’t. What is done is done, your world is already crumbling and you’re too blind to see it. As always, you’re doing too little, too late. You are such a pathetic woman and I am already getting tired of this same old story.” He let out a shrill whistle and the door at the end of the hall opened, and a young woman entered, with bright red hair. She was at his side immediately. “Have you completed everything I assigned to you? Is it all in place?” He asked. She took a moment to look at Selene, struggling against the man’s grip and their eyes met. Ember was more than a little uncomfortable with the situation. She hesitated for a moment and the man snapped at her. “Ember!”

The young woman nodded. “Yes. It is done.” Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a cellphone and handed it to Burnley. Glancing down at some sort of electronic device that was strapped to her arm she glanced at him with concern. Large red numbers were showing a countdown. “We have 20 minutes of power left before the door to Prox closes.”

“Excellent, more than enough time. Go disconnect Brock from those useless machines. Prepare him to be moved. I’ll be in after I deal with her.” Nodding again, Ember quickly scurried around Burnley and Selene and disappeared into the room where Brock lay unconscious. Burnley turned his attention back to Selene. “I could break your neck right now and no one would even care. It doesn’t matter to me whether you live or die, but today I choose to be compassionate because you were the one who kept Brock away from the others and brought him here so I could come collect him. That was the best choice that you have ever made in your whole miserable life. So, I will release you, and you will remain right where you are, and stay there until we are long gone. You will raise no alarms and return to your ordinary routine as if this never happened. Brock is none of your concern now. He never was.”

Gasping for air, Selene’s lungs felt like they were on fire. “You’re abducting a helpless person. He has medical issues and needs attention, I don’t know who he is to you, but I do know that flat out, this is wrong! You can’t walk in here and pull patients out of their beds. I will do everything I can to stop you.”

“Oh Selene… such brave words. They almost make you sound noble. But… you will not interfere with my business here, I am quite sure of that…. And how do I know this? Hmm? Well it’s because of this.” Bringing up Ember’s cellphone, he showed Selene a photo of her grandson, Tristan. He was sitting in her office, reading a book with the head nurse that she had asked to care for him. The photo had a time stamp on it which showed that only 10 minutes had passed by since it was taken. Selene’s heart sank. She tried to say something but Burnley closed his fingers a little tighter around her throat, cutting off her already short amount of oxygen. “Now, all you must do is let us walk out of here with Brock, and the little boy will be safe. If you choose not to listen to reason, then I assure you that when you reach your office, you will find nothing but bits and pieces of what was once your grandson and his babysitter splattered all over the carpet. Understand?”

A pathetic croak and nod from Selene was more than enough for Burnley to release her. He loosened his fingers and let her body sink down to the floor, stepping away from her like she was something offensive in his path. Her long, black hair, peppered with streaks of gray in it hung down over her face. “Why are you doing this? Why did you seek out my grandson? He’s just an innocent child.”

Annoyed, Burnley leaned casually against the wall and tilted his head. “You must really think a lot of yourself, Selene to believe that I just came here to fuck up your family.” He sighed. “I didn’t come here for your brat. I came here for Brock… but I knew that I might have trouble getting to him, so I did a little research and found out that you were here, and took steps to make sure that I had… collateral, in case I needed it for… persuasion purposes. I know more about you Selene Bell than you know about yourself.”

Selene struggled to make sense of Burnley’s words, but it was nearly impossible. When she looked up at him, her skin crawled, and she had genuine fear of him, but she wasn’t sure why, and the feeling of dread grew stronger and stronger with each passing moment. Selene’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the flat-line from the heart monitor in Brock’s room behind her where Ember was shutting down the machines. “That girl… I’ve seen her before. I know her from somewhere … but it can’t be, she’s much older now… and you… I know you… and…” Selene rubbed her temples with her fingers. There was something there she could almost reach but not quite. Something important. “What… what is all of this?”

“The Shepherd’s little ‘gift’ to you all. It is starting to fade away, and as it goes, the memories will start to return, you will remember who you once were. He was foolish to believe that he could shelter you all forever. I sincerely hope that you enjoyed the brief happiness that he had given you, because I am going to take it all away.” Burnley walked around her and headed toward the door to Brock’s room. “I only wish that I could have had the pleasure of desecrating his body, as he had done to mine. I would very much like to see that man’s naked corpse laid out in front of me, all pale and white, ready to be butchered like a prize pig. The feeling of ripping the flesh from his bones would be one that I would gladly savor for eternity.” Taking a deep breath, Burnley sighed. “But I guess that will never happen now will it? The body is gone, all that remains is…” Silently standing over Selene for a few moments, lost in thought, he reached into the inner pocket of his jacket and pulled out a small velvet pouch. He held it in the palm of his hand and felt the weight.

Looking on, wide eyed, Selene stared up at Burnley. “Is that… no… it couldn’t be. They took him to the morgue only hours ago.”

“Shocked? I wouldn’t be. The Shepherd would never let his body remain behind. The flesh would bind him to this earth, as I was bound to Prox. Ashes to ashes I suppose, or some nonsense bullshit… Nevertheless, he is gone now, and we are all free. Perhaps becoming a father, myself, I’ve become a little too sentimental. It’s time to let go of the past.” Tugging on the drawstring, he opened the pouch and turned it upside down. A thin stream of white ash spilled out from the depths of the soft fabric and slowly fluttered down to the floor.

Sitting up, Selene rested her head against the wall. Bright red welts were already starting to form across her neck. She watched as the ashes fell from his hand down to the floor, landing at her feet. “That man… the Shepherd… he was your family?” As she spoke the word ‘family’, Selene felt a fleeting memory return. She suddenly knew that Burnley was Benjamin’s son. She shook her head. The knowledge hit her like a brick, she immediately started to remember. “Whatever you are doing, it doesn’t have to be like this, Burnley. Yes, I know who you are now. You can choose to stop this madness and be a good person. You said that Benjamin sacrificed everything for us, well maybe he did it for you too, and you’re just too stubborn to notice it. Open your eyes and see that now is your chance to be like him. Come back from the darkness and become a Shepherd for the people. Brock doesn’t need you anymore, but you can find someone else who does.”

Something inside Burnley snapped. He whirled around and kicked at Selene sitting on the floor. His boot connected with her chest at full force, and she screamed as the pain exploded in her chest and spread out over her heart and lungs. Her body started to slide forward and Burnley stopped it by kicking her a second and third time. Blood spurted from her lips and ran down her chin as he finally ceased his assault and let her slump down to the floor. A blissful sensation of numbness crept over her as went limp and her eyes glazed over. Behind Burnley, Ember stepped out of the room and looked at her father standing over Selene. She went pale as she remembered sitting with a little boy outside at night, under the moon, eating star shaped cookies with edible silver glitter on them. A woman, who looked very much like Selene baked the cookies with the children during the day, telling them wonderful fantastic stories. Her hair was long and black, with fine traces of white in it, tied up in a loose bun on the top of her head. This was same the woman who now lay in agony at the feet of her father. Burnley kicked some of the ashes off his boots and turned around, seeing Ember’s shocked expression. He walked over to her and pulled her into his arms. “You are feeling it too, aren’t you? All those painful memories.” The young woman trembled against him. Her mind was muddled and confused, switching back and forth between the fond memories of a past she couldn’t remember and the atrocity of what she had just witnessed. “It’s alright.” Burnley whispered to her. He ran his hand through the bright red strands of her hair. “I can take all the pain away as soon as we return home. This place, this planet is not yours, and I know it calls to you, you must be strong and resist. Let those memories flow right through you and fade away; pay them no mind, because if you do, they will take hold of you and not let go. You are very important to me Ember; I love you dearly and do not want to lose you to these ghosts. I need you to be strong, can you do that for me, please?”

Refusing to look down at Selene, Ember focused on Burnley, at his deep gray green eyes and beyond the madness and insanity there and once again found her father, the man who saved her from the unforgiving desert and starvation. He was all that she had. “I can be strong.” She murmured. “And I do trust you, like no one else, Father. I love you so much.”

Burnley hugged his daughter and then slightly pushed her away from him. “Now then, there’s a slight change of plans. Before we go back, there is something that I need you to do for me, and you must do it quickly, before time runs out here. We can’t miss the chance we have to return home to Prox.” Leaning in close to her, he rested one hand on her hip and brought his lips to her ear, whispering to her. Her eyes fluttered for a moment and she nodded slowly. Standing in front of her now, Burnley placed a hand underneath her chin and tilted her head up. Their eyes met, and he bent down to kiss her. Ember felt his lips touch hers and a warm sensation fill her body. “Go now.” He said gently, and without another word, Ember left him and headed out down the hallway. As the door closed behind her, she hesitated for a moment and looked behind her at the small window back to the corridor. Her eyes were drawn to her father, Burnley. Her heart was racing, and she felt a little lightheaded. What was this strange, new sensation? The kiss was unlike anything she had ever felt before, it was light and gentle, but filled with the promise of so much more. Deep inside, she wanted to return to him, to run back to his side and forget about this awful place. He had kept her safe for so long, and now she felt scared and alone thrust into a world where she didn’t belong. Bringing her fingers up to her lips, she touched the place where his lips had been and sighed. Would he ever kiss her like that again? Would it ever feel the same? What would it feel like to have the gentle touch of his slender fingers touching her bare flesh? But, most importantly, was it wrong to think this way? These were questions that she needed answers for, but not now, she had something more important to do.

The door to Brock’s room slowly opened and Burnley stepped inside. Ignoring the motionless body of the man that he loved, he made his way over to the windows and wrapped his hand on the cord for the blinds. “He told you that I shut you away in darkness, staining your beautiful white soul black with my deception… but that’s not true. All I ever wanted was for you to see the truth and light, a chance to be free from all those lies.” Grasping hold of the thin cord, he gave it a quick yank, ripping the blinds right off the frame and tossing them aside. Bright moonlight filtered in through the window now, engulfing the room in a silvery color. Ember had disconnected the monitors and turned them off, leaving the room in an eerie silence. Burnley approached Brock, standing at his bedside and looking down at him. “I told you that I would find you, Brock. I would do anything to have you back at my side where you belong, you were taken from me too quickly. You need to come home, back to Prox and leave this dying world to its fate. I know that family is important to you too, and now I can give that to you. The three of us, you, me and Ember, we can be together, forever. Nothing will ever separate us again. I promise.” Burnley reached for Brock’s hand, but the moment that he touched it, he instantly recoiled. Brock’s skin was abnormally cool to the touch. “No.” Burnley whispered to himself. “It can’t be.” Grasping his wrist, Burnley held it tight, and closed his eyes, tilting his head up. He felt something stirring inside of Brock that he was all too familiar with, a presence that he had known all his life, and both loved and hated. Slowly he opened his eyes. “What has the Shepherd done to you, Brock? I can feel you there, but you’re so far away, your soul is there, but there’s something wrong with it. It’s perverted, twisted… protected. I feel his power lingering within you. That’s why you are unconscious. God damn motherfucking Benjamin! You knew that I’d come for him, and you did something to keep me away! How dare you keep punishing me? Have I not suffered enough and paid my dues? Who is the merciless one now, huh?” Burnley stood silent and still next to the bed, watching the rise and fall of Brock’s chest as he breathed. His gray green eyes were filled with unspent rage and anger. Easing himself down onto the bed, Burnley lay in the small space next to him and whispered. “Even though you’re dead, I refuse to let you win Benjamin. I know exactly how to undo what you have done…You will never get the chance to be reborn as the Shepherd.” His hand slipped underneath the thin sheet, and into the folds of Brock’s hospital gown. The anger faded away from Burnley as quickly as ice left outside on a hot summer’s day. His fingertips glided along Brock’s cool flesh, caressing the curves with intricate precision. Bringing his lips to the base of Brock’s neck, Burnley began to kiss it, delighting in the taste of the flesh he had long since yearned for, while his fingertips dropped down past his navel and between his legs. Arching his fingers, he grabbed Brock’s cock and held it tightly in a completely possessive grip. “Brock is mine, you fucking bastard… And so is the sleeping power within him.” Yanking the blanket away from Brock, Burnley stood up and gently picked up Brock’s body in his arms, cradling it with such care. “Stay with me Brock, we’re going home.”

Selene opened her eyes. The pain in her chest was overwhelming. She was still lying on the cold floor of the hospital, but she was alone now with no sense of how much time had passed since Burnley’s vicious assault. She knew that she had to get up, get moving as quick as possible. Both Tristan and Brock were in danger now, and she had to do everything in her power to get to her feet and help them. Folding one arm across her bruised and battered ribs, Selene grimaced and groaned as she pulled herself up to a standing position. Every single movement was excruciatingly painful, and merely walking a few feet was going to be a monumental task. Taking a moment to catch her breath, Selene looked down the hall and saw the door slowly starting to open. Finally, someone was coming in that could help her. Breathing a sigh of relief, she watched anxiously as it swung open and much to her surprise, she saw her grandson standing there. Their eyes met at the same time, and the little boy lit up with delight. “Grammy Selene!” He yelled loudly and quickly ran forward, his little feet pattering on the brightly polished floor. Selene’s heart raced, and she dropped back down to her knees, forgetting about the pain for a moment, and opened her arms for him, anxious to hold him close again and escape as quickly as possible. Her hopes were quickly shattered, as the door behind him opened wider, and Ember stepped out. Moving forward, she scooped up the little boy in her arms in one motion, plucking him right up out of thin air and holding him against her tightly.

Selene looked on in shock. “No!” She shouted. “Leave him alone!”

Tristan didn’t struggle against Ember but gave in and leaned his head against Ember’s chest. She walked over to Selene and stood over her with the child in her arms. “He doesn’t belong to you anymore. See? He wants to be with me.”

“That’s because he knows you, Ember. He remembers the person that you used to be. I don’t know what has happened to you, but Burnley is right, memories are starting to come back to all of us. You and Tristan used to play together… catch fireflies at night, daydream about traveling through space, even building a rocket ship in the backyard. The memories are there, I just know it. Please… for one moment, close your eyes and try to find them.” Selene pleaded. “I know that you feel lost and confused, but you’re trusting the wrong person. Burnley isn’t who you think he is… he is forcing you to take a child away from his family.” Selene’s face filled with compassion. “Please… let Tristan go.”

It only took one second for Ember to release Tristan. Selene was overjoyed to see that the young girl was actively listening. As Tristan’s feet touched the floor, he turned around and smiled at her, placing a hand alongside of her cheek. “Em. Can we please go home and look at the stars again? I don’t care that you’ve become a grown up, we can still be friends. Grammy Selene said that we are supposed to be together, forever, please don’t leave me again. I want to be with you, and mommy and daddy… I haven’t seen them in so long. Can you please take me to them?”

Pulling his small hand away from her face, Ember wiped at a stray tear that had escaped her eye and was trickling down her cheek. Slowly, the memories started to return. “I can’t. I can’t take you back to your mommy and daddy. I must stay with my Father. He needs me. I saved his life, and he saved mine. I owe so much to him. He takes care of me. This isn’t my world. I belong on Prox with him. Maybe…you and Selene can go, leave here together before Father gets back… I’ll tell him that you were gone when I returned. He will be upset, but I can handle it. I am used to it. I… I don’t mind.”

Selene reached forward and gently rested her hand on top of Ember’s. “He’s not your father, Ember. Your father’s name is Scott, and he is the kindest, most gentle man you could ever hope to meet. You are his entire world and mean so much to him. He’s been looking for you for a very long time and has never given up hope. Burnley, the man that you call ‘Father’ is a psychopathic drug crazed lunatic that has done terrible things to people. He’s a murderer and a liar. He will do anything to manipulate people.” Selene moved her hand and slightly grasped hold of Ember’s holding it tightly. The young woman’s skin was unusually warm to the touch. She slowly twisted her wrist and turned Ember’s arm over and her eyes fell upon the dozen or so small puncture wounds on the inside of her elbow, fanning out to branching blue veins that formed a spiderweb of purple bruises running up her arm. Selene looked into Ember’s eyes. “Is that how you aged so quickly in one year? Has he been giving you something?”

Ember yanked her arm back and stood up, pulling her sleeve back down. “It’s none of your business!” She shouted. She immediately withdrew and walked a few feet away, pacing. “It’s medicine.” She shot back abruptly. “Father needs it to, we both do! We can’t live on Prox without it.”

Selene shook her head. “No, no no Ember, love… you got it all wrong.”

At that moment, the door to Brock’s room opened and Burnley stepped out with the unconscious Brock in his arms, the white sheet wrapped around him flapping behind. He glanced over to Ember, who quickly turned away, ashamed. She knew that her Father would be upset that she had hesitated in completing her task. The sound of her heart throbbing in her ears was almost overwhelming. Patiently, she waited for the harsh and cruel words from him. “Ember. Take the boy and leave now.” Looking up, slightly shocked, Ember did as she was told. Perhaps there would be punishment later, it really didn’t matter… as long as she was with Burnley, alone, it would be worth it. Rushing across the hall, she angrily grabbed Tristan by the wrist, wrenching him away from Selene, who desperately tried to reach for him, but failed. Pulling him down the hall two steps at a time, she yanked the door open and disappeared from sight.

Selene leaned her head against the wall. “I thought you were going to leave him alone. I’ve done as you asked… You have what you came for, why are you taking Tristan? What value could a little, innocent boy ever have to you?”

“I changed my mind.” Burnley smiled down at Selene. “All of you have had happiness and joy in your lives. When someone you love dies, you remember the good times you had with them to cheer yourself back up; fill your head with memories and happier moments to block out the grief that consumes you… In times of darkness, you think about the days spent in sunlight and things get better…. Not me. I have never had the pleasure of any of those things. I was wrenched from my mother’s arms when I was just a child… taken away from a normal life and thrust into one so sinister and depraved. I could stand here and tell you about all the pain that I had to endure while growing up, but it would just be a waste…. Because I know you, Selene Bell. I know who you really are. You care nothing for others; all you care about is your own selfish ambition. You’ve done it in the past, with the FEC and now you’re doing it again with New West. You claim that you’ve let them into your hospital to do their research, because they were going to help you with a cure for Tristan, but the truth is that secretly, you wanted access to their work. Your husband knew about it and was killed for interfering with them, and you are working with others now to acquire it as well.” Burnley smirked at her. “Don’t look so shocked. You know everything I’ve said is the truth.”

Selene felt her heart sink. “How do you know about it?”

Slightly shifting the weight of Brock’s unconscious form, Burnley gave her an emotionless, blank stare. “Unlike you, and the others, my mind was not wiped clean. I know what happened to every single one of you, and I’ve seen how it’s all been covered up by the false reality. I did not have the pleasure of having that barrier in my head shielding me. I saw EVERYTHING. Day after day, I lay there, left alone to rot on some godforsaken planet alone, wishing for death as you all went on with your ‘normal’ lives.” Burnley’s voice dropped a bit. “And finally, when I thought it was over, when Bates came to kill me… I thought I could finally close my eyes and sleep… She found me, and I rose up, from the dying embers, like a phoenix from the ashes once again, vowing to destroy the false reality that the Shepherd has created.”

“She? You mean Ember? I saw needle marks on her arm. What did you do to her?” Selene looked at Burnley, disgusted. “She was only a child!”

“An interesting fact about the Eden drug. It has a terrible decay rate. With the computer having the base information about the exact chemical compound make-up of the drug, and sadly my own limited memory of the ingredients, I had to rely on other means to recreate it. When I found the samples kept in the Shallow Bay, I was quite thrilled. Of course, one might ask, how did they get there? I often wondered myself what use the Messengers could possibly have had for such a potent drug… unless… there was a traitor in the midst…” Burnley stopped and grinned. “But alas that is another story. The samples that were left were extremely volatile. I had to be sure that they wouldn’t have any detrimental effects on the body before I started reproducing it and using it on myself. Ember became my patient zero, the test subject I needed to perfect the solution and eliminate any imperfections in the chemicals before I could use it. As you have noticed, one such injection with a miscalculation accelerated the aging process. I managed to stabilize it, but at the cost of a few years of her life. This was a small price to pay in the grand scheme of things. Of course the rapid aging required a bit of… brainwashing… in order to get her to fully understand the nature of things, which of course required more drugs. Thankfully I have an entire facility at my hands.”

“You’re sick, Burnley. Using a child as a Guinea pig. What other crimes have you committed against her? You’re one of the most depraved men that ever existed. I remember some of the things you did to people…” Selene slowly started to pull herself back up to her feet again. The pain in her chest was nothing next to the knowledge that Burnley was taking Tristan away and that he might suffer the same fate as Ember. “You are a murderer and rapist. You say that you have become Ember’s father, but I know for a fact that won’t last long. She trusts you, and that’s a huge mistake for anyone. You told me to be honest with myself, so I am asking you the same thing… be honest and admit that it’s only a matter of time before you end up violating her too. Will it be as punishment for something she did, or just for your own sick pleasure? It doesn’t matter… I won’t let you leave here. You won’t ever harm another person, I swear it.”

“First of all, old crow… I am very offended by your accusations that I in some way defiled that young woman. The thought of using her for my own pleasure has never crossed my mind. The female body doesn’t excite me in anyway, save maybe for a bit of bloodletting and screaming, but those high voices tend to give me quite a headache. So… let me put it in a simpler fashion for you to understand.” He took a moment and paused. The empty corridor seemed to stretch on forever. Then suddenly, the serene calm façade faded, and he shouted at the top of his lungs, “SHE’S MY DAUGHTER, YOU SICK BITCH!” Burnley glared at Selene. His eyes were flashing with rage, and Selene knew that she hit a nerve. If it wasn’t for the fact that he was holding Brock in his arms, she was certain that Burnley would have snapped her neck, right then and there. Recoiling from his sudden outburst, she pulled herself flatter against the wall wishing that she could disappear into it and waited for his next move. If anything, she recalled Burnley bring incredibly unpredictable and violent. After several moments of anxious waiting, spoke to her in a quieter tone. “You don’t get it, do you? Taking Tristan isn’t just because I want to use him for experiments; I couldn’t give a fuck about that brat, and I have no intentions of raping Ember. What I am doing, by taking your grandson is to punish you, Selene Bell.”

Selene tilted her head to the side. A stray piece of her long dark hair fell in front of her face and annoyed, she pushed it away. “That’s grand, Burnley. You beat death twice now, always returning like some sort of cockroach, and this time you chose me to bully?” She let out a light laugh, but with the pain in her chest, all she could manage was a cough that burned her wounded lungs. “I feel so flattered, considering that I’ve done nothing to you. I think you should go back to Prox and re-read the last chapter of the sick fan fiction that you’ve cooked up in your head. Clearly you misread something.”

Burnley looked down at the unconscious Brock in his arms. He spoke in a very soft tone. “ One would do anything for the people that the care for. Even make the ultimate sacrifice….well, Selene… You made me a victim… You were the one who wrenched me from my mother’s arms. All the suffering and pain that I endured, was all because of you and your worthless attempt to get your own son returned. You were careless and not even thinking about the repercussions that taking a boy from his parent would have. In all the years that have passed, in all the hate that has grown inside of me, it all stems from what you have done. In the past, you let yourself become consumed by your own guilt, and the tainted Shepherd used it for his own advantage, turning you into a creature of darkness. How did it feel when your own son shattered your heart with steel? Did you honestly think that you would be redeemed? That it was over, and all was forgiven? Lies… these are the lies that you’ve told yourself. Night after night, while you were safe in your bed, I was suffering, and it was all because of you…” Burnley snarled at Selene, who had become as pale and white as a sheet. “That’s right, you’re remembering it all now, aren’t you? We’re all sinners here, Selene, but you’re the best at hiding it. It leaves a bitter taste in the mouth, doesn’t it? To be honest, I did consider letting you live… once I got Brock, there was no need for anymore violence, however, your words against me, the hatred and venom that you spewed at me as reaffirmed my belief that I am truly meant to walk my own path, taking what I want along the way and destroying those who I dislike… and right now. I dislike you very much, Mrs. Bell, so suffer, cry and scream all you want. The Shepherd won’t save you this time. The agony and torment you will feel from having your family destroyed is my gift to you, please, do enjoy it. I know I will.”

Before she could say another word, the door at the end of the hall opened again. Both Burnley and Selene looked up at the same time at the unexpected interruption. Burnley was ready with severe words on his lips, waiting to scold Ember for disobeying him, while Selene was desperate that anyone who entered through the door might be able to help her. It was an unused wing of the hospital, which had been shut off from the public for ages. Only a few people knew that there were beds and equipment set up and ready to go in case of emergency. Chances for a rescue were slim at best. As the door swung wider, Selene’s face lit up and she let out a cry of relief. Burnley held Brock tighter against him, his arms were starting to burn under the pressure of holding his weight for so long. He had not expected to be delayed this long and was now slightly concerned about Ember’s whereabouts. Narrowing his eyes, he looked to the open door and the new obstacles in front of him. Standing at the door were Marko and Siobhan.

Siobhan screamed. “Oh my god… Brock!”

Lizzie sat alone on the floor of the lab, clutching her wedding ring in the palm of her hand. The rage and anger of Thomas’s death had long since ceased, leaving her with an emptiness that seemed to be consuming her by the minute. In her fit of violence, she had ransacked the already cluttered lab, throwing boxes of carefully filed paperwork and research onto the floor, pushing computer’s over and smashing equipment. It made her feel a little better, at least for the moment, but then as she came to her senses and looked around, seeing the devastation that she had caused, she began to cry again. This was Tristan Bell’s work, Thomas’s deceased father, something that he spent countless hours on and here it was, all sprawled out on the floor like ordinary garbage. Wiping her tears away with the sleeve of her shirt, Lizzie started picking the pages up, one by one. With great care, she neatly stacked them back on one of the desks in proper order and straightened the toppled over chair. Then her eye caught the bright red color of the blood splatter on the wall. She started to cry again. She was so tired of crying, everything was making her upset. This was the place where the man that she loved with all her heart and soul had died, the place where her fairy tale ending came to a sudden halt, so she had every right to feel this way. Sniffling and crying, she found a bucket and mop, and started to clean up the stain from the wall and floor without thinking. Pushing the mop on the concrete floor made her hands hurt, and soon there were red blisters which broke through her skin, making it incredibly more painful. She didn’t know what she was doing, or why she was doing it, only that she had to make things right, take away all traces of the terrible deed that was done here. Thomas’s father would be ashamed for anyone to see the lab in this state, so she had to work through her grief and make it better. It felt good to have something to do, to be needed. Everything depended on it. Get it clean, get it all clean.

Several hours later, with the edges of her dress stained in a pink reddish color and her hands sore from squeezing the mop, she sank down to the floor, exhausted. With no windows to the outside world, Lizzie couldn’t even tell what time of the day it was. It felt like night, but she wasn’t sure. Night was the time to sleep, and the way she felt, she didn’t even know if she could ever sleep again, not without Thomas next to her. She made a mistake by not coming home to him, when he needed her the most, and he suffered in silence, spending so many nights alone. She realized this now, which only made her feel worse. Sliding off her wedding ring again, she held it in her hand and closed her eyes for a moment, picturing the last time her family was whole and she was happy. It was a picnic in the summer. The neighbors Scott and Travis brought their daughter Ember over to play with Tristan, and the two children were high above in the tree house rocket ship that Thomas had made for them. They were pretending that they were astronauts, getting ready to do a moon landing where they would have hot dogs and hamburgers with the local inhabitants, of Prox, a silly planet that they had made up, and then return to planet Earth before they were missed. Selene was sitting at the glass table, dressed in an old-fashioned black dress and gloves, and even though it was mid-summer, she was still sporting a floppy black hippie hat that shielded the sun from her eyes. She was flipping through an old book, sipping sweet tea and occasionally glancing up at the children to be sure they were safe. Scott and Travis were fussing with the radio and speakers, over which classic rock music could be heard playing loudly. Lizzie herself was dressed in a bright floral sun dress and was arranging a fresh picked bouquet of flowers from her own garden in the center of the table. She had plucked some less than perfect blooms from the garden and braided them into her long dark hair, framing her face perfectly. The sun was high overhead and a gentle breeze blew through the backyard. She glanced over at her the love of her life, her husband Thomas, who was trying to figure out the inner workings of the grill. He smiled at her; his unruly dark curls hanging over his beautiful brown eyes, and Lizzie could feel the happiness spread throughout her very being. It was almost surreal. Lizzie tilted her head back and closed her eyes, listening to the sound of the children’s voices carried on the wind. This was everything that she had ever wanted in life, all in one place, at one time. Life was good.

The unexpected sound of footsteps outside the lab door immediately brought her out of her reverie. For a moment, she pictured Thomas opening the door and coming in to find her. They would have such a good laugh about the condition she was in, her hair up in a messy bun, her dress stained and blisters covering both of her hands. The fleeting thought left her mind as soon as it entered, with the realization that she would never see him again. In a panic, she quickly scurried behind one of the larger counters and hid out of sight. Her heart racing in her chest, she heard the door open and someone step inside. Knowing that she wasn’t alone now, she scrambled, looking for something to defend herself with against the unknown intruder. Luckily, she came across a bit of discarded pipe, lying in a shadowy corner, which she quickly made a dive for and remained there, still listening. The person made their way into the lab and was heading to the center of the room, as if looking for something very specific. They weren’t rummaging about, or going through cabinets or files, but instead stood still, observing their surroundings. Seeing an opportunity to surprise the intruder, Lizzie made her way around the maze of tables and desks, trying to get a good angle for her strike. Her small fingers clutched desperately at the metal pipe, squeezing it so hard that she thought her bones would snap. This was her only one chance to defend herself before the person saw her, and she had to take it immediately. Kill or be killed. Crouching down, she waited as the shadowy figure came to a stop. Now was her chance. Swallowing back her fear, Lizzie started to rise, ignoring the feeling of her knees shaking, and pulled her arm back, ready to bring the heavy pipe down onto the person’s skull, crushing it with one solid blow, when she heard Thomas's voice whisper in her ear. ‘Lizzie, no. Stop.’ With her arms above her head, and the pipe dangling precariously over her victim, she halted her swing and stood motionless. Her eyes widened and she let the weapon go, dropping it down to the ground where it landed with a loud crash. The lights flickered on, flooding the room with a harsh white incandescent glow. Lizzie, still standing completely still, found that she was now looking down at her son, Tristan.

Their eyes met and Lizzie dropped down to the floor. Her feet would no longer support her. “Tristan? Tristan? Tristan baby? Is it really you?” The little boy smiled at his mother, his dark wavy hair falling in front of his impossibly blue eyes and ran to her. Lizzie opened her arms and his tiny body collided into her chest, pressing tight into her as she embraced him with shaking arms. Holding onto him with everything that she had, Lizzie couldn’t believe what she was seeing, her own son, free from the deathly grip of the coma which held him prisoner for over a year, alive and well. The feeling of his warm body pressing into hers was wonderful, and it felt like the first time she ever held him all over again. It was an unreal sensation, like she was trapped in a dream. Tears streaming down her cheeks once again, she let them come. These were happy, joyful tears, long overdue. Everything vanished in that one moment, swept away by the impossible love that a mother has for her son. He was all that she had left of Thomas, and being as such, he was more precious to her now than gold or diamonds. Rocking back and forth, she ran her fingers down the back of his head, just enjoying his presence. Her arms ached from holding him so tightly, but deep down inside, she knew that she needed this. Eventually the cold from the concrete floor started to make her legs hurt, and the pain started returning to her hands. The bright, white lights high above burned into her head, and she started to feel a headache coming on. Reality was crashing down around her, and she had to let go of the moment and move on. Something didn’t feel right, doubt slowly crept in like a sinister fog, obscuring her happy reunion and clouding her thoughts. Forgetting about everything else, she slowly released her son, but kept hold of his small hands running her fingers over his tiny knuckles. “Tristan, how did you get here baby?”

Wiggling one of his hands free from hers, Tristan reached into a pocket and pulled out a single black pin feather and held it up for Lizzie to see. He twirled it in his fingers. “The Shepherd. He came to visit me and told me that it was time to wake up. So, I did.”

Staring at the black pinion, Lizzie went pale. The Shepherd had given her a choice, to save the life of her husband or her son. It felt like a lifetime ago. Plucking the feather from Tristan’s hand, she held it in hers and sat back on her heels. Thomas was gone, taken by the Shepherd, and her son was here alive… was it by her own hand that she killed her husband? “No…” she murmured in a small voice. “I couldn’t… I wouldn’t… Not Thomas… I didn’t make a choice. At least I don't remember making one...” Trembling, she glanced back up at her son. “Or did I?”

“He tried to bring me to you, mommy, but the people at the hospital, they wouldn’t let him. Grammy Selene, she took me away from the Shepherd. I didn’t want to go! The Shepherd promised me that he would take me home, but they hurt him real bad… there was blood everywhere. I don’t think he’s going to come back.” Tristan lowered his head and sniffled. “He said everything would be okay. Why would they do that to him? Mommy, I don’t understand it. He was a good person.”

Lizzie grabbed hold of her son again and hugged him. A short time earlier, she was cursing the Shepherd, hating him for what he had done and for giving her the nightmare choice to make. Now she was here, holding her son in her arms, feeling terrible for her own thoughts. He gave her Tristan back. Glancing over to the large desk in the corner of the room where Thomas had died, Lizzie noticed for the first time that a chair had been placed near it, which oddly she didn’t move when she cleaned. For a moment, she saw a vision of Thomas, laying there in pain, suffering from the gun shot that would end his life. Sorrow consumed her and she wanted it to go away, then she looked at that empty chair and saw the Shepherd sitting there, speaking quietly to her husband. All the pain left Thomas’s face, he looked almost peaceful. The Shepherd slowly turned around in the chair and looked directly at Lizzie. She shook her head, and the Shepherd managed a small smile in her direction. Feeling something stirring inside of her, she closed her eyes and felt a rush of memory flood in. Another place, far away… Thomas standing in front of a large group of people, giving a speech. Every single eye was on him. They were hanging on every single word. These were friends, families, all of which were looking on to him for guidance. Every single one of them trusted him. This warmed Lizzie’s heart. Then she noticed that standing behind Thomas, in the corner of the room was the Shepherd… Benjamin. He was in the shadows, beaming with pride as Thomas gave those people hope, and the promise of a new future. As he spoke, she could see husbands hold their wives, and small children paying full attention to his words. The entire room was held captive by his warm, outgoing personality. When Thomas finished speaking to the group, and they dispersed, Benjamin joined Thomas and they left the room together. Lizzie watched them walk away. Their bodies were a little closer to one another than normal. When they spoke to one another quietly with hushed tones, their eyes deeply gazed at each other. At times, Thomas’s hand would reach out and brush the back of Benjamin’s, just enough so that he could feel the tender touch without giving anything away. This was clearly more than friendship, Lizzie felt as though she should have been jealous, or shocked, but those emotions didn’t feel right. This was a different time; a different place, and something that she was grateful to see. As quickly as the vision came, it went away again, and Lizzie was back in the lab. Holding the black feather in her hand, she smiled. “I understand now. I couldn’t be with him when he died, but I know his last moments were spent with someone that he loved. Thank you, Ben, for showing him the way.” A light breeze blew in from nowhere, grabbing the feather from her hand and lifting it into the air. Right in front of her eyes, the soft edges of the pinion started to turn to dust and float away. Tristan reached up, his little fingers straining to reach the last black remnants of the feather, and just as he touched it, it crumbled into a thousand small traces of ash and disappeared. He looked to Lizzie, and she brushed some hair away from his eyes. “The Shepherd was right; everything is going to be okay.”

Somewhere behind her, there were footsteps, and then she felt pressure on the back of her head. Lizzie soon realized that the lights switched on because they weren't the only people in the room. The barrel of a weapon was now pressed painfully into the back of her skull. “Let go of the boy and move to the other side of the room.” Ember said in a commanding voice that strangely reflected the tone that Burnley had used earlier when confronting Selene. It was terrifying. “We’re going back to Prox and taking him with us, if you get in my way, I will kill you.”


End file.
